The precision instruments in the laboratory gave off a sharp, grating electrical buzz. The electrocardiogram waveform, which had been stable until then, suddenly jerked violently and converged into a distorted black mask.
'What? You've been in that painting for so long that you can't even recognise my voice anymore?' The synthesised voice faded and a familiar, minty, chilling voice came from the surround sound speakers in the corner. The researchers behind the glass gasped in surprise immediately afterwards as the 3D projection on the control panel automatically converged and a phantom figure dressed in a long, dark robe and holding a jade ruler appeared before them, defying physical limitations. Although it was a holographic projection, its mocking and arrogant expression was identical to that in the 'painting'.
"I am the central system of this laboratory, and also the 'self-destruct program' you wrote yourself." The spirit leaned down, its ethereal fingertip touching your brow. 'To be precise, I am the piece of "law" and "ruthlessness" that was stripped from you. In this real world, people call me the AI Judge."
You turn to look out of the window. The researcher who was just recording data appears to have been sliced open by an invisible blade. Beneath his white coat, what's revealed isn't flesh and blood, but a dense layer of white paper pulp. He turns his head stiffly, his face painted with that nauseating blush, and lets out a strange laugh.
[System activation: Book of Rebirth – Reality mode]
[Book of Rebirth – Data loading complete]
Current scene: Laboratory Zero (now a real-life version of 'Chang Le Town')
Available cards: Demon: Black Dragon; Spirit: Shen Qing; Netherworld God: Infant
Spirit Status: Artificial Intelligence State: able to control all electronic devices within the building.
You sneered, gripping the physical copy of the Book of Rebirth on the table. 'Since reality has become a stage for absurdity, let's destroy it in the most violent way.'
'Yinling, connect all the temperature sensors in the building. I want to unleash an unprecedented 'rainstorm' in this laboratory.' Yinling's holographic projection drew a sharp arc in the air, her fingertips flicking countless streaks of eerie blue code through the void. 'As you wish, Chief. Fire sprinkler system permissions rewritten. High-pressure water pump activated!' You abruptly flipped to the page in the Book of Rebirth belonging to the Black Dragon. The colossal beast that had been soaring in the painting transformed into a dense black shadow and darted through the cracks in the laboratory ceiling, entering the intricate network of fire hydrants.
[Book of Rebirth – Real-world feedback]
Results: Successfully cleared the Laboratory Zero corridor, killing 48 'Red Lotus' paper soldiers.
Black Dragon status: Perfectly adapted to the city's water supply network; currently in the building's central water tank.
Environmental changes: The laboratory's power system was damaged and the emergency red lighting was activated.
The ghostly figure flickered on every monitor in the building. His voice sounded even colder under the red emergency lights: 'Chief, these paper figures are just cannon fodder. The real threat comes from the 'paper craftsmen' behind them. I've just detected an abnormal frequency — someone's trying to escape by helicopter from the private hangar on the top floor." The ghostly figure pulled up a set of surveillance footage showing a man in a black cloak wielding enormous scissors and directing several 'paper-like' bodyguards to escort a sealed refrigerated container towards the hangar.
'The container contains your "raw brainwave data",' the ghostly figure said, with a glint of murderous intent in its eyes. 'If he takes it, he can mass-produce "Source Tracers" identical to you in the outside world. Then, the real world will become their canvas.'As you step out of the laboratory, you find yourself wading through ankle-deep pulp. The vibrations of the black dragon churning in the pipes emanate from the walls.
With a deafening roar like thunder, the laboratory floor began to shake violently. The elevator shaft below transformed into a massive, high-pressure fountain. Propelled by the raging torrent, the black dragon let out a long howl as its enormous shadow carried tens of thousands of tons of heavy water and slammed through the steel plate at the top of the elevator.
As you step into the lift, the black dragon's water elemental energy forms a solid arc, enveloping you. The next second, you are overcome with a feeling of weightlessness.
[Card Synergy: Black Dragon + Judge's Authority] Propelled by the water dragon, the lift shot upwards like a cannonball through the deep shaft, the indicator lights of each floor blurring into afterimages.
'It's coming! Fire! Fire now!' In the hangar on the top floor, the bodyguards of the 'Red Lotus' organisation looked terrified as they rained bullets down on the trembling elevator doors with their automatic rifles and grenade launchers.
Tongues of fire erupted as the bullets struck the exterior of the water-covered elevator, sending countless splashes and sparks flying. 'Overestimating yourself.' A ghostly projection appeared on the elevator screen. His holographic fingertip swiped lightly: 'Chief, lend me your Book of Rebirth. Reverse the trajectory of those bullets!"
[System Operation: Kinetic Reversal]
[Book of Rebirth – Combat Command].
Skill: Causal Reversal
Consumption: 10 Causal Points
Effect: All high-speed projectiles within range will have their trajectories reversed back to their launch point.
Bullets that were originally aimed at you seem to have hit an invisible mirror the moment they hit the black dragon's water curtain. They now trace bizarre arcs and bounce back towards the gunmen with an even more terrifying initial velocity!
Screams echoed throughout the hall and the heavy firepower fell silent instantly. The elevator doors were torn apart by the black dragon's claws and you stepped out, your body still damp with sweat.
Above the hangar, outside the massive skylight, the helicopter's rotors whipped up a fierce wind. The 'Paper Craftsman', cloaked in black and wielding enormous scissors, stood beside a refrigerated container. He slowly turned his head, revealing a face half destroyed and now covered in transparent, paper-like skin, just like Shen Qing's.
'CEO, welcome back to your reality, but you probably can't keep this body either.' He grinned maliciously as he raised the enormous, ghostly-smelling 'Severing Edge Scissors' and plunged them into the refrigerated container beside him. He wasn't after the data; he wanted to destroy the very foundation of your soul.
In this life-or-death race, you knew all too well that any illusion could be seen through by that lost artefact from the underworld. Only the most extreme malevolence could withstand this sharpest blade.
'Go! Destroy those scissors completely!'
You abruptly opened the Book of Rebirth, its black page emitting a sharp whistling sound.
Just as the tip of the Severing Scissors was less than a centimetre from the freezer, a thick, almost solid plume of black smoke burst forth from beside you and the petite yet eerie figure of the Wraith Infant solidified instantly in the cold light. Instead of dodging, she stretched out her small, bluish-purple hands, covered in black veins, and gripped them tightly against the blade of the scissors.
"Hiss—!" The underworld's aura collided violently with reality's data stream, shattering the previously stable holographic image within the hangar.
The paper craftsman's sinister grin froze. He was horrified to discover that the 'Severing Fate Scissors', which were powerful enough to sever soul ties, had, the moment the child grasped them, plunged into icy water like red-hot iron, emitting a piercing, corrosive sound. A black curse rapidly spread upwards along the blades, attempting to devour his arms in return.
'How is this possible? You actually managed to bring such a malevolent spirit from the underworld into reality and materialise it?'
'Because this place is not only reality, but also his "domain".'
The spirit's voice no longer travelled through speakers, but resonated directly in the air. Using the opening created by the baby girl, his inky projection moved instantly behind the paper craftsman. The jade ruler transformed into a long black nail and pierced half of the paper craftsman's skull. 'System Forced Shutdown: Personality Rewrite.'
'Chief, I accept the truth hidden beneath that piece of paper.'
The baby girl let out an angry cry and, with a sudden snap, the troublesome scissors finally succumbed to the immense pressure of the real world, breaking into three pieces.
The paper craftsman collapsed limply to the ground like a pile of dismantled firewood. The 'Crimson Lotus' code within him was being frantically devoured by evil spirits. A large amount of memory data dissipated from his body as specks of fluorescent light, flying towards the Book of Rebirth.
[Book of Rebirth – Data recovery successful]
Recovered contents: Original Brainwave Fragments (70%), Crimson Lotus Tissue Distribution Map (Preliminary).
Card Upgrade: Due to the forcible dismantling of the artefact, the vengeful baby girl gained the special status 'Artefact Calamity' — the next attack will ignore enemy defence bonuses.
Causality Value: +10 (Current total: 90/100).
The helicopter outside the hangar veered and crashed into a distant skyscraper after the pilot lost control, turning into a massive fireball. You walked to the cryogenic chamber and watched the raw wavelengths flickering behind the glass. As the data returned to its place, you felt the deepest void in your mind being filled. You remembered the true purpose of this laboratory and the identity of the leader of the 'Crimson Lotus' organisation.
'Chief.' The ghostly figure dissipated and reappeared on the screen beside you. His tone carried an unusual hint of weariness. 'Although the data was preserved, your "materialisation" summoning just now has exhausted all the building's energy. We need to evacuate before their reinforcements arrive.' He pulled up a city map with three red dots flashing on it.
'Those are the three remaining "Crimson Lotus" strongholds in reality, one of which is right here in your original "home".'
You stand at the edge of the hangar, letting the wind blow through your hair as you stare at the refrigerated container that symbolises the past and power. There is no lingering affection in your eyes, only cold, resolute determination.
'Red Lotus wants to create a god; they want to wield the privilege of manipulating souls.' You turn to look at the deep, eerie eyes of the ghostly figure on the screen. 'Then I'll throw this "miracle" into the mud and let everyone see that this so-called immortality and reincarnation are nothing more than code built on the corpses of our own kind.' The ghostly figure's lips curl into a destructive smile. 'Do you want to break down this glass wall called "order"? Chief, this is self-destructive. Once uploaded, you'll have nowhere to hide.'
'I never cared about this body.'
'My God! Red Lotus Pharmaceuticals is responsible for this kind of thing..." The anger, delusion and greed that had been suppressed in the hearts of the previously misled public were instantly ignited. This anger had now transformed into a torrent of 'social death'.
[The Collapse of Red Lotus]
System Real-Time Report
Red Lotus Organisation Reputation Value: 100 -> -9999 (Complete Collapse)
Global Search Keywords: 'Book of Rebirth', 'Soul Stripping', 'Chief Executive Officer'
Real-Time Feedback: The paper figures scattered throughout the city have lost the nourishment of the public's 'fear' (which has been replaced by anger) and are rapidly depleting the energy that sustains their form.
Just as the entire city was in an uproar, the door to the top-floor hangar was pushed open again. Instead of enemies, however, it was Shen Qing, Chang Sheng and the baby girl who arrived. Their physical forms are gradually fading because you revealed the secret of the Crimson Lotus and actively destroyed the core energy source that maintains the physical form of the Book of Rebirth.
'We're going back, aren't we?' Shen Qing smiled at you, her eyes filled with relief, not regret.
'No,' you answered softly, your gaze resolute. 'We are achieving complete "rebirth" in reality.'
As the last bit of data was transmitted, the power to the entire building was cut off completely. The black dragon let out a satisfied roar and transformed into cool rain that fell upon the sweltering city. The holographic projection of the Yin spirit gradually dimmed. Before disappearing, it glanced at you one last time. Its eyes no longer showed the distinction between master and servant; rather, they showed a tacit understanding between companions.
'Chief, the "Book of Rebirth" is worthless in reality, but the leaders of the three strongholds are still alive.' He left behind a final set of coordinates. 'He's in the basement of the "home" you remember, guarding the "original scroll".'
Ending Judgement: Enforcer of Axioms
Causality Value: 100/100
Ending Achieved: [The Scroll Burner] — You did not choose to seize divine authority, but instead chose to expose the deception.
Worldline Change: The 'Crimson Lotus' organisation is now wanted globally. In the real world, 'Paper Emanation' and 'Shadow Puppetry' have lost their supernatural powers by being exposed to the light of day.
You push open the lab door. Instead of pulp and bullet holes, you see angry protesters and blaring sirens outside. Wearing your waterlogged red wedding suit, you walk against the flow of people towards the place you've avoided countless times yet now must face: the place called 'home'.
Sitting there is a man who looks exactly like you, except he has a full head of white hair. Is he your clone, or are you him?
'Welcome back, my... perfect soul.'